African American
Genealogy Societies & Research Centers Directory
A professional, easy-to-browse directory of African American genealogy societies, archives, university special collections, and research tools to help families document, preserve, and honor African American heritage.
State-by-State African American Genealogy & Heritage Directory
Explore a nationwide network of African American genealogy societies, museums, archives, universities, and historic landmarks. This directory connects researchers, educators, and families to verified local and state resources dedicated to preserving the stories of African-descended communities across the United States.
Each state section highlights archives, historical societies, local museums, Black heritage trails, university special collections, and ongoing preservation projects that document the African American experience—from enslavement through emancipation to the present day. Whether you’re researching your ancestors, planning a heritage trip, or building community history projects, this guide provides the tools to uncover your state’s African American legacy.
Southern States (Confederate, Slaveholding)
| Resource | Description | Link | ||
| Statewide Genealogy & Archival Resources | ||||
| Alabama Department of Archives & History (ADAH) | The official state repository for Alabama’s records — vital, census, and emancipation-era materials. | Open | ||
| ADAH – Research Tips for African American Genealogy | Official guide for tracing African American ancestors using Alabama’s 1867 voter registration, Bureau records, and more. | Open | ||
| AlabamaMosaic Digital Repository | A statewide digital portal combining images, manuscripts, and historical records from dozens of Alabama archives. | Open | ||
| FamilySearch Wiki – African American Research for Alabama | Step-by-step research guide highlighting key Alabama record sets, repositories, and online collections. | Open | ||
| Institute of Public Scholarship – Alabama African American Genealogy Resources | A county-by-county list of African American genealogical sources across Alabama. | Open | ||
| AccessGenealogy – Alabama African American Records | Aggregates Alabama-specific African American census, slave schedules, and church records. | Open | ||
| Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center – Alabama African American Gateway | Free, centralized gateway with indexed databases specific to Alabama’s African American history. | Open | ||
| Regional & County-Level Archives | ||||
| Black Belt African American Genealogical & Historical Society (BBAAGHS) | Regional organization serving 12 counties of Alabama’s Black Belt; hosts conferences and archival projects. | Open | ||
| Alabama Genealogy | County-specific portal with African American cemeteries, churches, and community histories. | Open | ||
| Autauga County African American Resources (AlabamaGenealogy.org) | County portal detailing African American genealogical and historical sources in Autauga County. | Open | ||
| Mobile Public Library – Local History & Genealogy | Coastal Alabama resource center with microfilm, city directories, and African American family history aids. | Open | ||
| McCall Library – University of South Alabama | Repository for Gulf Coast photos, newspapers, and community records including Mobile’s African American heritage. | Open | ||
| Mobile Creole Cultural & Historical Preservation Society | Mobile Creole Cultural & Historical Preservation Society | Open | ||
| Birmingham Public Library – African American Bibliographies | Bibliographies, surname collections, and reading lists centered on African American genealogy in Jefferson County. | Open | ||
| University & Research Institutions | ||||
| Alabama A&M University – State Black Archives Research Center & Museum | State-chartered archive preserving artifacts, photographs, and documents of Alabama’s Black history. | Open | ||
| Tuskegee University Archives & Special Collections | Digital exhibits and finding aids for Tuskegee Institute, Booker T. Washington, and Alabama African American education. | Open | ||
| University of Alabama Libraries – African American Newspapers Guide | Comprehensive guide for accessing African American newspapers published in or about Alabama. | Open | ||
| Auburn University Libraries – Digital Collections & Alabama History | Features digitized Alabama newspapers, documents, and guides relevant to African American genealogy. | Open | ||
| Miles College – Learning Resources Center (Historically Black College) | Birmingham-area HBCU with archives and oral history collections on African American education in Alabama. | Open | ||
| Local Libraries & Public Research Guides | ||||
| Huntsville–Madison County Public Library (HMCPL) – African American Genealogy GuideHMCPL Special Collections: Genealogy | Public library’s regional guide for African American family research, North Alabama focus. | Open | ||
| Birmingham African American Genealogy Group (BAAGG) | Local organization offering genealogy training and community events in Birmingham. | Open | ||
| Open | ||||
| Special Projects & DNA / Data Portals | ||||
| FamilyTreeDNA – Black Belt of Alabama DNA Project | Connects descendants of families from Alabama’s Black Belt through DNA and shared ancestral data. | Open | ||
| Library of Congress – Alabama Digital Collections | LOC’s Alabama guide with digitized slave narratives, maps, and family history materials. | Open | ||
Border States (Union, Slaveholding)
Northern & Western States (Free) - Sub-groups
New England
Mid-Atlantic & Great Lakes
Western Expansion
District of Columbia (Special Category)
Excluded or Non-Applicable States (Note Only)
Note:
The following states — Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Nevada — are excluded from this directory because they were not established as U.S. states during the slavery era or had no legalized system of chattel slavery before 1865.
Most of these territories were sparsely populated frontier regions throughout the mid-1800s, organized long after the Civil War or admitted to the Union well into the late 19th and 20th centuries. As a result, they do not appear in Freedmen’s Bureau, plantation, or Reconstruction record collections that document African American ancestry in the antebellum or immediate post-war periods.